Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

Did you sell your "old" mountain bike when updating/upgrading to a new bike?

9K views 60 replies 42 participants last post by  bachman1961 
#1 ·
Did you sell your "old" mountain bike when updating/upgrading to a new bike?

I have an early 2015 Santa Cruz Tallboy (alloy) that I've heavily upgraded. I paid $2200 for it (new) and have put about $800 into it. It has only around 1000 miles (mostly dirt) and has never been crashed. However, I have recently been smitten by a closeout 2016 Niner Carbon FS bike. So, I bought it. It rides a bit better than my old Tallboy, plus it's almost 4 pounds lighter. I think that I could still get at least $1200 for my old Tallboy, but that's still a big loss...for a bike I still really like. Do most riders keep their last bikes for a while?

Bicycle tire Bicycle wheel Bicycle frame Tire Wheel
 
See less See more
1
#3 ·
I kept my old (1994 Trek Mountain Track 830) when I got my Surly Krampus. It is now my commuter/paved trails bike. It has been through too much for me to get rid of it. Plus it is still fun to ride on some of the less aggressive trails around here
 
#7 ·
Yeah, did the same with a 1991 HardRock. Added fenders and a kid seat-compatible rear rack. Looks kind of cool, gives me a 2nd bike and I still have sentiment about it as my first mtn bike from the days before we moved anywhere near mountains.

* My guess is many get other bike/s that are of different characteristics and justify keeping older bikes for a back up, friends or relatives visiting or to use based on what they feel like riding for specific ride plans/venues.
 
#4 ·
We (My wife and I) usually sell our old bikes when we buy a new one. We have 3 bikes each (MTB, Road and Urban). Keeping the older bikes just isn't practical for us. Better to find them good homes where they'll get ridden.
 
#6 ·
Mountain bikes take a huge depreciation hit. It's just how it is.

If you don't repurpose the bike to a significantly different role (like a lock-up commuter, fender rain bike, etc.) that merits keeping it around then get rid of it.
 
#10 ·
I don't think a FS commuter is a great idea. A used road/cross/gravel bike is a much better option. In my world 2 mountain bikes is a must, gotta have a backup so I don't miss any rides. You could sell the frame and put your parts on a hardtail and have 2 different types of bike. Another option is to convert it to a single speed.
 
#18 ·
I wouldn't keep a similar, inferior bike around solely because it might be used if the other one breaks. You're only asking because of an emotional connection to it, but it's not unique. If you sell it and miss it, you can buy it again later. It'll continue to lose value as it sits. Better to add something different and interesting (29+ HT?) if you want a backup.
 
#19 ·
My last one I planned to sell but then my son asked if he could have it. He hadn't expressed much interest in riding in the past, when I would take him to trails he would quickly be ready to go home as soon as he felt a little tired. And I told him a full suspension wasn't the best thing for riding around the neighborhood but he wanted to try riding it on the trails. So we went riding and it was good timing as he had matured to the point that he would really ride.

So it worked out well.
 
#20 ·
I have 2 of my old bikes that I would have a hard time getting rid of. I have a 1991 Joe Breeze lightning. Its Maroon, and just so pretty. Its fully ridged, and my wife uses it as a town bike. Then I have a 1998 or 9 Schwinn Homegrown factory in Bass boat blue. Its got lime green marzochi forks. I love it, and it still get regular outings on the trails. My 13 year old son also has a particular fondness for it. He rides it more than his Trek full suspension bike.
 
#21 ·
Don't bother, as you said, you won't get didly squat for it, unless you are in dier financial straights, just keep it as a back up and maybe look into it as a new project to make it more different to the new bike. N+1 is always a good idea, take too big a hit selling off old bikes, unless you have a bud who is looking to get into MTBing, then maybe that's when the hit isn't so bad ;)
 
#22 ·
It is a sunk cost, not a loss. Just sell it to offset some of the cost of your new bike or keep it as a second bike if you like it because it isn't going to increase in value.

You will never get back the full upgrade cost and one needs realistic expectations on the value of their used bike.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
If you love your old bike, and still think you're going to use it once and a while, I'd keep it. However, if you think you can get $1200 for it, I'd go ahead and sell it, and keep the cash to buy something totally different as a backup bike. A great backup bike is a single-speed rigid as it gives you a totally different experience, and is generally maintenance free. I like to take my inexpensive single-speed with me on vacation to ride some singletrack.
 
#25 ·
if you can afford it and you ride a lot you should have a backup bike. nothing sucks like having time to ride but you can't because something is wrong with yo whip.

i am violating my own rule for now but i do have a backup rear wheel as that seems to be the most likely point of failure for me currently.
 
#26 ·
I hate having things I do not use. Clothes, bikes, golf clubs...etc. I had 4 bikes at one.
Looking back they were stepping stones: affordable motobecane hardtail got me back into biking after lots of sports injuries, then full susp motobecane also affordable, then rocky mtn hardtail frame I built up, then on-one codeine fulls susp. I also bought as frame and built up. There was such a logical progression looking back on it....anyway, they all had their purpose, gave moto hardtail to college nephew, sold moto full to newbie buddy, keeping the rocky and the codeine. The codeine by chance happens to fit me absolutely perfectly. I guess I am saying if it is down to only two bikes, I would keep them, no more though. I even feel like I have to equalize the time on the two. But man it has come in handy when one needs work or whatever.
 
#28 ·
I've converted my old 26" hardtail into a commuter with road rims and disc brake. 700x40c tires on Mavic open pro rims fit. It has a rigid fork and a bigger Deore crank ring 48t too.
Re-purpose your old bikes if you can or just keep them around for friends to borrow.
 
#29 ·
I sold my '98 Specialized Rockhopper FS sometime in the early '00s. But... I still have my '07 Trek 3700 26er after I upgraded to a X-Caliber 29er in 2013. The 3700 is worth about $80 according to Bicycle Blue Book. It's a good backup bike in case the 29er has to go to the shop.
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top